


Clemency

by Carmarthen



Category: The Eagle (2011)
Genre: BDSM, Bondage, Community: the_eagle_kink, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, PTSD, Post-Canon, Post-Movie(s), Safewords, Scene Gone Wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-06
Updated: 2011-05-06
Packaged: 2017-10-19 01:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/195353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carmarthen/pseuds/Carmarthen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marcus is willing to let Esca tie him up, until he isn't. Kinkmeme fill for the prompt "Marcus uses his safeword during a soft bondage scene and Esca comforts him."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clemency

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Arthurian maiden (8Daenerys8)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/8Daenerys8/gifts).



> I'm fairly ambivalent about formal safewords in historical fandoms (and, for that matter, in a lot of modern contexts), but that was the prompt, so I wrote it.
> 
> I was originally thinking of Marcus having a more dramatic, clearly PTSD reaction, but decided that he would be in no frame of mind to safeword in that situation, so I dialed it back to something which may or may not be PTSD. Consent and respect for boundaries, they are my kinks. I hope I handled the subject appropriately.
> 
> I highly recommend Rachel Manija's [posts about PTSD](http://rachelmanija.livejournal.com/tag/ptsd) if you want to learn more about it.

Everything is fine until Esca tugs on his bound wrists. Marcus is comfortable and half-aroused, warm enough from the fire, and the sensation of the rope on his skin is interesting, not unpleasant. This was Esca’s idea, but he does not dislike it so far.

And then Esca tugs on his bound wrists and he remembers being in Caledonia, cold and wet and stumbling helplessly behind a horse, his thigh screaming in agony. He jerks away from Esca without thinking, wanting to be free. “Clemency,” he gasps, even as Esca’s face grows concerned and he says “Marcus, are you--”

Esca puts a hand on Marcus’s tensed arm, and Marcus tries not to startle. This is Esca, not an enemy. “Marcus, I’m going to cut the rope,” he says, keeping his voice soft and even.

Marcus nods, swallowing hard. His heart is pounding and he still wants to run, but he makes himself hold still as Esca saws at the rope carefully with his knife, cursing a little as the strands refuse to part. Esca keeps talking, meaningless soothing things, his other hand still resting lightly on Marcus’s arm.

It feels like an eternity before the rope falls away and his wrists are free, but surely it is only a few moments. “I’m sorry,” Marcus says as Esca gently guides him to sit on the bed. “I thought I could--I didn’t know--” He’s babbling now, his hands shaking, but Esca lies back and pulls him into a loose embrace. Marcus lays his head against Esca’s chest, reassured by the steady, slightly fast beat of his heart. He feels uncomfortably the fool, and unmanly, for being upset by such a little thing.

“It is I who should be sorry,” Esca says quietly, and he sounds as miserable as Marcus feels. “I should have thought of Caledonia and known you might not like it.” Esca still feels that what happened in Caledonia was his fault, no matter how many times Marcus has told him that if he had not lost his temper they might have worked out a better plan between them before encountering the Seal People.

“I did not mind it until you pulled on my hands,” Marcus says. “And--perhaps it is something that I should learn to bear, so it does not distress me.”

“Mayhap,” Esca says, still sounding guilty, “but not this day.”

They lie there for a time, Esca stroking slowly along Marcus’s back and running his fingers through Marcus’s hair, until Marcus’s heart slows and his muscles unlock. “Do you want me to do anything for you?” Marcus asks when he is feeling calm again.

“Do you wish to?”

Marcus considers it. He could bring Esca off with his hand, but his earlier arousal has faded and now he’s just tired. It’s good lying here with Esca’s solid warmth against him, and he doesn’t want to move. “Not really.”

“Then we won’t,” Esca says firmly. He presses his lips to Marcus’s forehead and pulls him closer and after a time Marcus lets himself fall asleep in the safety of Esca’s arms.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Mercy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3620091) by [bemusedlybespectacled (ardentintoxication)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ardentintoxication/pseuds/bemusedlybespectacled)




End file.
